Bola Tinubu agricultural incentives draw mixed reactions as farmers welcome reforms but stress the need for urgent and visible implementation

Bola Tinubu agricultural incentives unveiled this week have stirred cautious optimism across Nigeria’s farming sector, as the Federal Government promised sweeping reforms aimed at creating 21 million jobs and transforming rural economies.

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But while the vision has been welcomed, farmers warn that the real challenge lies in execution.

Vice President Kashim Shettima outlined the ambitious plans in Abuja during the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum.

His speech highlighted irrigation, mechanisation, and credit reform as pillars of the strategy, positioning food security as a national and regional priority.

“Hunger is the great equaliser,” Shettima declared, calling on private investors to partner with government to revolutionise Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

He pointed to the country’s potential to irrigate over three million hectares, yet lamented that less than ten per cent is currently utilised.

The new Bola Tinubu agricultural incentives include streamlined land registration, enhanced access to credit, and large-scale irrigation projects.

The Vice President framed these policies as part of President Tinubu’s broader economic agenda under the 2021–2025 National Development Plan, which aims to lift 35 million people out of poverty.

However, farmer groups have expressed scepticism. The National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabir Kebram, called on the government to ensure promises are followed by real, measurable action.

“You can have a policy, but unless you implement it well, you cannot see results,” he said.

Peter Dama, Chair of the Competitive African Rice Forum, echoed similar concerns. “Pronouncements are different from implementation,” he warned, noting past delays in delivering farm equipment despite high-profile announcements.

Adding to the critique, Chinasa Asonye of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) highlighted persistent exclusion of women farmers from meaningful support.

She pointed to low agricultural funding, lack of transparency, and poor access to women-friendly technologies as major gaps in existing efforts.

Despite these concerns, global and regional stakeholders praised Nigeria’s leadership.

The FAO’s representative, Dr Hussein Gadain, lauded the clarity of Nigeria’s agricultural agenda and Shettima’s “unmatched passion” for food security.

The EU also reaffirmed its long-term support, citing a recent €80 million investment in agricultural value chains across seven states.

Still, the question of whether the Bola Tinubu agricultural incentives will translate into real change remains unanswered.

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Farmers across the country say they’ll believe it when they see it — in tractors on the ground, seeds in the soil, and credit reaching rural communities.